Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Question 7:
Q: What are the decrees of God?
A: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.
I know a member of a fraternal organization that chooses its own members, who once objected strongly to the Reformed "notion" that that is the very method by which the Sovereign God of heaven builds up His true church. As I argued quietly and carefully, I began to get an inkling that the objection was more with just whom God chose as opposed to whom that particular lodge would choose. The Lord God of heaven just didn't seem to have chosen all of the right people! Yes, we can laugh at such a line of reasoning, but at last we have to be saddened by the attitude that leads people to that point.
When I went to a church planting conference, one of the important steps that we were to take was to carefully identify just which group our congregation was aimed at recruiting! I just couldn't get with the program, because I was willing to take anyone who showed up! In this month's Tabletalk, author John Sartelle observes that God "seems to relish choosing the more diverse individuals" for Christ's Church. And just look around at the diverse group that the Lord gave us here at Christ Covenant. I think we can truthfully say that we do not have a church planter cookie cutter mentality around here. And I for one like it very much like that! I won't go into it just now, but there are some very interesting stories of how some of you ended up here, sometimes even against your own willful choice.
I know that at least a third of you have sometimes thought that you could do better than this particular congregation. But by God's grace, by His purpose and by His plan: you are here, for better or worse just like the marriage vows go. As you have all learned from your Christian experience, God has led you on by the power of the Holy Spirit into those places where he would have you to serve. Each step in your life, each place where He has placed you is for a purpose.
One of the reasons that I have stayed on for twenty years in the public schools is the fact that each year between three and half a dozen young people actually learn a great deal from their relationship with me and the subjects that I teach. And I come away knowing that even if there were only one student who learned more than he was supposed to, it was all worthwhile. Even considering the public school, there isn't a place that you or I can go that it is outside the purpose and plan of the Lord God Almighty.
Now, think of it this way. If you were traveling around the world, there are very many strange and exotic places you can end up in. Some are difficult, some are even dangerous. Usually, only experienced travelers take off on their ownsome. Many people usually purchase the experience of agencies who move tourists to and through the many tourist sites on every continent. They then travel together as a group by bus, plane and ship. I have been on several of those tours when I was in Europe. In fact I even went over to Europe with a group. I traveled with Uncle Sam's Olive Drab tour and saw part of Europe from the back of a duce and a half! And as we consider the eternal purpose and plan of God's decrees let us be thankful that like the common saying goes: "We are on the bus" and we are along for the ride of this lifetime and the next.
Certainly, we don't often understand or appreciate every place that the Kingdom bus takes us or the accommodations that are sometimes ours to enjoy. But nevertheless the final goal of the Kingdom Tour is worthy and excellent and the company of the elect is choice, entertaining and enjoyable as we work for Him who has called and chosen us to be His very own. As I was reading through Professor Green's Harmony of the Westminster Presbyterian Standards this week, I was struck by the thought that such a little question and brief answer could even suffice for so grand a subject outlined in Chapter III of our confession itself. God's Eternal Decrees are immense in the grandeur of their scope and all encompassing as to their effect. Early this week I wondered at the wisdom of even trying to deal with the intricacies of this subject.
Some would suppose that Christian theology could survive very well with out the teachings before us today. We all know that "decrees", "election", "predestination" and other doctrinal matters are not popular in our time and place. Even in the early fifties when Professor Green published his Harmony, he encouraged his readers even then to "not stumble at the word 'decrees' ... Purpose and plan are familiar words, and free from objection. When it is understood that the decree of God is His purpose and plan, the doctrine of the decree should be less contested and detested." This is why I have introduced this topic with that analogy of the tour bus. But, something more must of course be said than that. Accordingly there are two further observations that I feel must be made in the context of this doctrine.
The first is a positive observation. Look back at the Ephesians passage if you will. I especially like the NIV heading just before verse three. See it? "Spiritual Blessings in Christ" is how it reads. I am reminded of an experience in the Army. Another Chaplain's Assistant and I were called into the Brigade Colonel's office to explain what had happened in the course of some minor incident which I cannot even remember today. We were in there for over half an hour answering questions and explaining why we had done what had to be done! At the end of the session, the fearsome full Bird Colonel turned fatherly and gave us some advice. He said that the literal meaning of certain Army regulations had been violated. However, he did understand that the intent of the actions was more in the spirit of what our Spiritual obligations intended should happen. He guessed that we would make very fine soldiers if we continued to let our conscience measure the regulations against the higher standards of our Scriptural understandings. We both came out with our stripes and a clean slate much to the chagrin of a bitter old lifer who had made a career of observing every jot and tittle of the Regulation handbook.
Please understand, I am not objecting to the Doctrines that are taught here in this question and in Chapter III of the Confession. But I do believe that we should look carefully to the purpose of the doctrines which are to make us realize the great benefits of the Spiritual blessings contained within them much as Paul explains them in the Ephesians passage. After we were through in the Colonel's office, the nit-picking career professional who had charged us, was ushered in to be interviewed. We heard the Colonel's voice clear out in the parking lot. And we never had any further problems in that Brigade.
The second observation on this doctrine concerns the difference between the words "predestined" and "forordaination". Let me read from the subordinate standards, Chapter III, paragraph iii of our Westminster Confession:
"By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestined unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death."I know, this has been discussed many times in the context of private studies and in Bible studies and it will probably be studied and debated until Christ shall come in glory. However, while I have the pulpit and in the context of the situation at hand do not have to listen to any "but, but, but's" I would like to say this. There is a difference between "predestinated" and "foreordained". There is also a difference between the emphasis of paragraph v and paragraph vii in Chapter three of the Confession. For those of you not familiar with the issue here, let me quote A.A. Hodge who says:
"It must be remembered, however, that the purpose of God with respect to the sinful acts of men and wicked angels is in no degree to cause the evil, nor to approve it, but only to permit the wicked agent to perform it, and then to overrule it for his own most wise and holy ends. The same infinitely perfect and self-consistent decree ordains the moral law which forbids and punishes all sin, and at the same time permits its occurrence, limiting and determining the precise channel to which it shall be confined, the precise end to which it shall be directed, and overruling its consequences for good."A little later in his argument he observes that "Calvinists believe, as all men must, that all events in the system of things depend upon their causes, and are suspended on conditions ... If a man believes, he shall be saved; if he does not believe, he will not be saved." This is the crux of the debate over decrees - how and why some people are saved and others are not. God in His perfect wisdom has decided these things and it remains for us to enjoy the fruits of the same blessing enjoined upon the Ephesians.
However, since we all remain just barely converted, we may sometimes envy the worldly crowd who never desire to get on the Kingdom bus with us. I am reminded of a movie I once saw about a Scottish tourist bureau that was going bankrupt until one of their buses was stopped by bandits, much as ancient highwaymen once made their living. All of a sudden half the tourists in Europe were clammering to be on their buses for the sheer excitement of the unexpected adventure. What the tourist people thought would be bad for business turned out to be their best asset. Very quickly there was some collusion between the bureau and the bandits to make sure the tourists had their adventure. As I remember the movie plot, when the bandits became employees, there were strict limits placed on what and how much they could take from the tourists. In return, warnings about police activities were carefully phoned ahead. This kind of collusion with the worldly crowd must be avoided. Their kind of excitement is different from the Spiritual blessings that are ours to partake of within the Kingdom of God.
The doctrine of God's decrees which is before us today has providentially worked for our eternal benefit. May we take comfort from the fact that before the world began, He was thinking of us and planning a way to bring us into His kingdom. We were given something that we did not expect, anticipate or even want. We could have very well remained natural men and women and never realized that grace that had passed us by. But, we know that we are His and that we will be with Him for eternity, let us be grateful for the means that He has used to benefit us exceedingly.
Resources Used:
Gerstner, John H. A Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Green, James B. A Harmony of the Westminster Presbyterian Standards.
Hodge, A.A. The Confession of Faith.
(PCA) The Confession of Faith: The Shorter Catechism.
Sartelle, John. "All for one & one for all", Tabletalk. (June 96)
Williamson, G.I. The Westminster Confession of Faith.
Places Preached:
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Box 132049 -- Columbus, OH 43213-8049
WSC007 09 Jun 96
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